The present invention relates to an automatic workflow monitoring/control method and apparatus, and particularly to a method and apparatus for controlling the number of cases being circulated and a work amount therefor.
A workflow system is used as an infrastructure for improving document circulation in an office. The workflow system is realized by defining in advance a work called a business process to be performed by a plurality of staffs and circulating data (electronic documents, files, programs and the like) required for respective staffs to perform their xe2x80x9ccasesxe2x80x9d, according to the definition of the business process, so that each of the staffs can perform his/her case.
For example, JP-A-11-213082 discloses a technique for effectively processing cases in the workflow system. This technique enables to even the load by a plurality of workflow support means when the number of cases or the work amount is increased.
That is, the aforementioned conventional technique can cope with increase of the cases to be processed in the workflow system and the work amount involved in the cases. However, no consideration is taken on control of the number of cases and the work amount. Since the computer resources are not infinite, if the number of cases and the work amount continue to increase, there is a danger of reaching limitation and it is necessary to control the number of cases and the work amount.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method, an apparatus, and a program capable of automatically detecting the processing state in the workflow system and controlling the number of cases and work amount by suppressing entering of cases when a delay is present.
In order to achieve the aforementioned object, the present invention provides an automatic workflow monitoring/control method in a workflow system performing works by circulating data to a plurality of staffs via a network, the method comprising steps of: recording a processing history of a workflow case; collecting processing histories recorded; checking a processing situation in the workflow system by using the processing histories collected; and controlling a case amount and a work amount by suppressing case entry in the workflow system in a case the situation check step decides that a delay is present.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic workflow monitoring/control apparatus in a workflow system performing works by circulating data to a plurality of staffs via a network, the apparatus comprising: means for recording a processing history of a workflow case; means for collecting processing histories recorded; means for checking a processing situation in the workflow system by using the processing histories collected; and means for controlling a case amount and a work amount by suppressing case entry in the workflow system in a case the situation check step decides that a delay is present.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic workflow monitoring/control program in a workflow system performing works by circulating data to a plurality of staffs via a network, the method comprising steps of: recording a processing history of a workflow case; collecting processing histories recorded; checking a processing situation in the workflow system by using the processing histories collected; and controlling a case amount and a work amount by suppressing case entry in the workflow system in a case the situation check step decides that a delay is present.